The Oddity of Sakura Haruno
by Miss Tie
Summary: Fan girls were something I was used to. Insane, pink-haired, mood-swinging girls like Sakura Haruno were another story entirely. Sister-Story to 'Past Afflictions.' In which Sakura is sent back in time and Sasuke has to deal with the changes she brings.
1. Fan Girls and Their Desperation

**Summary murdered me. I'll probably change it eventually, that was just all I could think of. Also, title, ahh, kill me. Well, I'll announce this story's arrival on the next chapter of Past Afflictions, which is most definitely not finished, and I will probably procrastinate on, because It will have action, and action is another thing that brutally murders me**

**yaaayy**

**So please enjoy Sasuke's point of view! This chapter is kind of really boring compared to the stuff I'm gonna write in future so...if you're bored right now...it will get better. This kind of bored me and I'm the one writing it, so, I'll try ot get the next chapter up soon.**

**Summary: Fan girls were something I was used to. Insane, pink-haired, mood-swinging girls like Sakura Haruno were another story entirely. Sister-Story to 'Past Afflictions'**

I always woke up early. Every day, I'd awake at the crack of dawn, go train, then show up at the academy before anyone else, and sit in my seat. Not long after that, I'd get the first offer to sit next to me. I'd never answer. It wasn't worth wasting my breath when no one would sit there anyway. Gradually, the number of people by my desk would grow, before there was an annoyingly loud hoard of people there. I would pointedly ignore them.

Fucking fan girls.

I heard that blonde one (Like I remember her name) Screech something from the door to 'Sakura' in the background. Inwardly I scowled. Ino (that was her name, I think) and Sakura were the worst out of everyone. They followed me everywhere I went and never failed to ask my out on a date at least three times a day.

Fucking fan girls.

I noticed, in my peripheral vision, that the pink-haired one wasn't there. I wondered if Ino finally killed her. Then I'd have one less fan girl to worry about. I just didn't understand why they were in ninja school if all they were going to do was stalk me. When I heard the God-forsaken voice of the blonde one, Ino, say something to Sakura minutes later, I held back a sigh of disappointment. So she was still here. Great. Almost as great as the screeching that commenced in the hoard by my seat, and I looked down to see that dobe Naruto getting trampled.

_Fucking_ fan girls.

And, as fate would have it, the pink haired one ended up in the seat beside me. I was actually surprised, unpleasntly surprised, that she just took the seat without asking.

And then _leaned against me._

I turned my eyes in her direction to scare her away, but she wasn't looking at me. She was laughing at the blonde idiot who had apparently injured himself. What else is new? One thing I actually was satisfied with was the silence that had fallen over the hoard.

I expected her to blush and stutter when she noticed, then probably try to do it again and write it off as a mistake. I definitely did not expect her to spring away from me like I was an infectious disease. I examined her face for the briefest moment. Her cheeks were flushed, and her mouth slightly open. She stared at me, wide, green eyes, looking as if I had just killed her family.

Why did she look afraid of me?

Deciding I didn't really give a damn if she was scared of me or not, I spared a glance at the space between us (She was pressed against Naruto like he was her life line) and then focused on the front of the classroom. This was probably some new approach she was trying. Maybe it was her version of hard to get. Good. Maybe she'd leave me alone.

Then the fan girls erupted into screaming once again when that idiot jumped up on the desk in front of me. And then, because of course it can't stop there, idiot number two in front of us knocked Naruto over.

And then Sakura was on top of me.

What the fuck?

After a moment, I realized that she had shoved Naruto away from me. I was admittedly impressed. How did she react that fast?

"Stop defiling him!" Some nameless face in the crowd of nuisances screeched, and Sakura turned her head toward them, grinning like an idiot. Of course she'd happy she's there, that's why she's not moving.

Goddamnit.

"Would you have rather seen a rather intense make-out session between the love of your life and Naruto-kun over here?" My whole body tensed. What the hell? Where did that even come from? Why would I...I would never make out with Naruto. And didn't she hate that idiot? Everyone did. Why was she calling him Naruto-kun?

What was _wrong_ with this girl?

As if suddenly realizing she was still _sprawled across my fucking lap_, she scrambled up and landed in her seat again, leaving that 'safe space' between us. I pointedly stared at the space, then at her, then decided to ignore her for the remainder of class.

Easier said than done, as I noticed her inch closer towards me, sitting stiff as a board for the rest of class.

I wish she'd go back to the old approach already. This one was freaking me out.

* * *

At lunch, I purposely rushed out the door and towards a silent, empty area to eat. I hoped to eat quickly and train, but I kept getting lost in thought about that girl, Sakura. I just wanted to know what the hell her problem was. When Iruka-Sensei announced teams, I expected her to give some sort of cheer, or when Yamanaka (once I remembered her surname, I preferred to use that) whispered something to her, I expected her to rub it in.

But she just sat there, looking absolutely tortured, and didn't reply.

Just yesterday she was begging me to go on a date with her, wasn't she? And now she was terrified by my very existence?

I scoffed, taking another bite of my lunch. This didn't matter anyway. I needed to focus on more important things. But, I found my mind kept wondering back to her. And how she was sprawled across my lap and did nothing but taunt the other girls. About me and Naruto no less. I smirked, maybe this team wouldn't be so awful after all. Even if they're a bunch of losers.

It was then, when I was lost in thought about that pink-haired freak that the dobe tackled me and tied me up, taking my shape, and walking out the door yelling something like "Let's see if you can resist me like this, Sakura-Chan."

Of course. Everything comes back to Sakura.

* * *

It took way longer than it should've for me to get out of those stupid bindings, so when I left the building I was seething. I was going to find that dead-last loser and beat him within an inch of his life. And that pink-haired girl, I was done with her. She was the reason I got tied up in the first place.

But of course, as fate would have it, I wasn't _quite_ done with her yet.

I didn't notice her at first, because she was crouched at the bottom of the tree, clutching at her head, mumbling something. The thought that she had lost her mind crossed my thoughts more than once, but I decided she could hold valuable information, so I ignored the oddity of her stance and approached her.

"Have you seen Naruto?" I wasn't threatening her. I was simply asking a question, though if she refused to tell me I probably would've threatened her. I needed to take my anger out on something, and right now Naruto seemed like the logical choice. But the way she reacted, you'd think I was holding a knife to her throat and telling her I'd kill her if she spoke. Her head snapped up, eyes wide, teary (she better not cry) and so painfully green I nearly looked away. I noticed her hand grip the tree behind her, breaking the skin of her fingertips and causing blood to drip down the tree. She didn't stop.

I thought back to every time I'd talked to her. She had always initiated it, and I had never reciprocated. I recalled when we were much younger she would talk anyway, and I'd listen. She would only talk about useless things like something she did with her hair or how her ex-friend Ino was bugging her or how her mom was being 'such-a-pain' which is about when I would leave her. But she never was afraid of me. No one was, actually. Not the girls. For some odd reason, no matter how much I pushed them away, they would fawn all over me. Including Sakura. But now she stared at me in complete terror, looking more like a wounded animal waiting for slaughter than the girl who wouldn't shut up.

She finally stood, taking her hand from the tree and staring blankly down at her bleeding fingers. She stood there looking as if I had ripped something away from her, that's the only way I could explain it. The fear wasn't gone, but it was masked. I found myself getting annoyed when she looked back up and shook her head. Not saying a word.

"No idea?" I added, prompting her to speak. I didn't like unforeseen changes. I liked to know everything and anything that happens before it happens. But this girl goes from disgustingly lovesick to terrified in one day and there's not even a fucking reason. "Considering the idiot is following you around everywhere you go, I would assume-"

"Don't assume anything about me." I stopped then. Don't assume? What couldn't I assume? She was the girl who had everything. She was the girl who took everything for granted. She was smart, but wasted it all trying to date me. And I've met her mom, or at least I've seen her, back when she would pick Sakura up from the academy after school. She was anything but a pain.

I could_ assume_ she was the girl who never shut up. She always had something to say, always had something to tell me, and would get excited if I so much as glanced in her direction. She's the girl who left her supposed best friend because of something'gravely important' but obviously it wasn't if she couldn't even say what it was.

So what couldn't I _assume_? What was this approach anyway? She thinks that if she can fake being in the amount of pain I go through every day, she can get to me? She didn't know anything about pain. Not even a bit.

I didn't realize I'd been glaring at her, but I had. Turning on my heel, I began making my way towards the academy again. Stupid, insignificant fangirls aren't worth getting angry over. But I couldn't push the anger back, no matter how hard I tried.

And where the_ hell_ was Naruto?

* * *

She didn't realize I had glared at her the entire time waiting for our new Sensei. Whoever this asshole was, I was sick of waiting. And somehow, in light of everything that's happened, the blame fell on her.

Everything came back to _Sakura._

When he finally did arrive, hours late, we made our way to the roof. He asked for introductions, but told us jack-shit about himself. Then was Sakura's turn. Her frustratingly high-pitched voice rang out, stumbling over words. I tried to ignore her, expecting something stupid, but she kept saying things that caught my attention and I found myself listening intently.

"I dislike...people who...well, people who are too swallowed up in everything they think is awful that they can't tell what they have that's good. Like, just because you lose one thing, even if it's awful, you shouldn't neglect the fact that there are people who love you more than you could ever imagine, and then abandon them-I mean, most people will just abandon things they don't care about right?" She paused, for a thoughtful moment, "But...I mean, I hate that. Hobbies..."

What the hell did she mean lose_ one thing_? I was nearly positive that was a swipe at me. Is that why she's angry? Because I resent the fact that my whole family is dead? I felt white hot anger course through my veins and I took a deep breath. Calm down, I told myself, you don't know that she's saying that about you.

"I don't ever want anyone I love to feel alone." Her voice made its way to my ears again, "I want them to know that I'll always be there. I realized lately that...people aren't forever. They leave. And they die. And I don't want them to leave or die...alone. I'll always be there."

I was disgusted with her dream. She was so obnoxiously innocent. As if she could really know the feeling of loss. I had to take another soothing breath, keeping my expression carefully guarded. She was driving me crazy.

Naruto, ever the idiot he is, talked about ramen the whole time. Then said something about becoming Hokage and I nearly laughed at the stupidity. Naruto becoming Hokage?

That actually cheered me up a bit. Good joke.

"I like nothing." I started, thinking pointedly of Sakura and her stupid attempts to make me notice her, "I hate everything." She popped into my head again, and I nearly growled, "And my dream isn't a dream, because I will make it a reality. I will avenge my family and restore my clan by killing..." I nearly said it. My brother. But I was long past admitting to my relation to him, "...a certain someone."

When I let my eyes roam the group and saw Sakura looking so disappointed, I nearly threw myself off the building. More anger, rushing through my blood stream, and I had to clench my jaw to keep from growling.

Of course it only got worse.

Because apparently this new Sakura was mouthy as well.

"Sasuke!" It was after Kakashi-Sensei told us to meet up at the crack of dawn and attempted to scare us about teh test. I didn't really care, I wasn't scared at all, but it was annoying that we couldn't eat breakfast. But before I could make my way home, she called after me. I felt like turning around and taping her mouth shut. "Do you want to get Ramen with Naruto and me?"

"No." There. No arguments. No comebacks. Maybe now she'd leave me the hell alone.

"Sasuke," She groaned. Groaned, as if I was some sort of nuisance. I turned to face her. Who the hell did she think she was? "Come on, we're a team now, whether you like it or not. And I know you're like, the lone wolf or something, but we're a_ team_ now, and generally Sensei's want teams to work _as a team_, rather than team-of-two, and Mr. I-work-alone."

Was...Was she mocking me? She was mocking me. She was _mocking_ me. Because I found her company to torturous to endure fo rmore than necessary, she felt the need to mock me? I clenched my fists, feeling my nails digging into my palm, but stopped form saying anything else. She was probably looking for conversation anyway.

"You know what?" She said suddenly, throwing her hands up, "Don't worry about it. I don't think you could really handle teamwork anyway. All that would happen tonight is Naruto-kun would beat you in an eating contest, and you'd be in a sour mood all day tomorrow about it."

And now she was questioning my abilities? I turned around to hide my sneer and began to stalk away again. What the hell happened to her? She was always that annoying girl with the strange hair and stranger smile. She followed me around, bugging me incessantly, begging for dates. Now, what, she was some tough girl with an attitude problem? She was treating me like I was _Naruto_, for God's sake.

Furrowing my brow, I shoved my hands in my pocket and headed toward my training area. Maybe beating the shit out of some trees and burning some stuff to the ground would calm me a bit.

Just a bit.


	2. Redemption

**Okay…so…I have mixed feelings about this chapter. I'm posting it because I need to post a chapter and I…ugh…I like it because I like fluff and romance and all that wonderful stuff, but I'm sort of terrified that I'm ruining Sasuke's character, so although I really, really, really, really HATE to ask for reviews from people, I would greatly, greatly appreciate feedback on this because if you guys think I'm making him OOC, I can rewrite this. It just gets kind of…okay, well, I'll let you read it, but please, you don't even have to say much, just say YES if you think he is OOC and NO if you think he isn't. It would be much appreciated. And I'll try never to ask for reviews again, but I'm just…seriously…nervous about his character.**

I saw her training that night. In and of itself it was strange, the fact that she was training instead of stalking me while I trained, but the way she trained was even weirder. She didn't train quite like me, an angry, violent, entourage of moves and jutsus until I feel like I might pass out if I keep going. But she trained with an intensity I didn't think she was capable of. Her hits were weak, obviously she couldn't hope to do much with those, but her technique was surprisingly fluid, like she'd done this a thousand times before. I wondered if she'd been training before and I simply hadn't noticed.

But I knew she hadn't been training. She spent all of her time within a fifty meter radius of me. How would she find time to train?

Then, so sudden I almost jumped at the start, she gave a loud cry with her final hit on the tree and collapsed to the ground. I sneered at how weak she looked, crumpled on the ground as she was, before I realized she was crying. She gripped her hair so hard I thought she might pull it out, her shoulders shaking. Then, as quick as it came, it went. And she stood, the moonlight illuminating the tear tracks on her face in a way that made my chest tighten for reasons I couldn't comprehend, and then she continued training.

I left then. And I found myself back at my training area, trying to sweat out the annoying tightening in my chest that wouldn't go away.

* * *

I dreaded the next morning for multiple reasons. And none of those reasons involved our test with our new Sensei. One reason was I was on a team now with a couple of idiots. Or, at least, one idiot and one overemotional girl. Another was the fact that I was going to have to actually talk to them. The thought of talking to Sakura annoyed me more than Naruto; as annoying and stupid as the dobe was, I didn't hate him like the rest of the village for the simple reason that he shared my pain, in a way. But Sakura didn't know anything, and thought she knew everything. I was not prepared for any of her ranting or rambling or babbling today.

Not that I was ever really prepared for it before.

I was ready to completely ignore her if she tried anything. If she attempted to lecture me about the values of teamwork again I might narrowly resist the urge to drop kick her, but I would resist it. She was an annoying fan girl just like at the academy, and just like at the academy, if I ignored her she would eventually go away.

Eventually.

But when I saw her standing on that bridge, and I stared straight ahead to avoid making eye contact, she blurted out, quite loudly, I might add, a simple "I'm sorry." And that was all it took to catch my eye.

I'm sorry? Where does she get off saying she's sorry? Sorry for what, exactly? Sorry for lecturing me for no fucking reason because I wouldn't go on a date with her? Or how about how she's been staring at me like a wounded animal for all of yesterday when the worst thing I've ever done to her was call her annoying and told her to leave me alone. Which she never did anyway.

I carefully arranged my face into a blank stare, still resolute not to give her any satisfaction of getting through to me.

"Look, I'm sorry for getting angry at you." She continued, "If you don't want to eat Ramen with your team, that's your deal, I shouldn't have likened it to your abilities to act as a teammate. If anything, I trust you more as a teammate than anyone else, because I know how capable you are at handling yourself in tough situations," She paused briefly, something like shock passing through her eyes, "I mean because of your…" She paused again, and I found myself ready to tell her to just get on with it so she would stop babbling. She finally finished, her shoulders dropping, "I just trust you."

This all made me a bit angrier than it probably should have. The thought that she figured she could come up with some elaborate apology and make me forgive her made me feel like ripping her throat out, but when I shifted my eyes to meet hers, the sincerity made me change my mind. I don't think she realized how desperate she looked for me to forgive her, but she looked as if the very thought of me denying her apology would crush her. Which, in any other circumstance, would annoy me beyond belief, but something in her eyes offset the desperation.

"And I'm sorry." She finished, clenching her fists at her sides. I examined her only for a moment longer, before giving her a single nod. This didn't mean I was going to talk to her, not by a long shot, but we were a team, so I couldn't really stay angry at her forever. Finding a tree to lean against while we waited for Naruto and our Sensei, I ignored the way my body tensed when she sat down at the tree next to me and tried to appreciate the silence.

But there wasn't silence. Not for me. My mind never calmed down long enough for silence.

* * *

The fucking bell test was obnoxious enough without Kakashi beating my ass into the ground. Literally. Honestly, logically, I shouldn't have expected to get the bell. As awful a Jounin as he seemed, especially when he pulled out that stupid book, he was still a Jounin. But I was just _so close._

And now I was buried to my neck in the earth. I guess that's what I get.

I didn't really care who got sent back to the academy if they didn't get a bell. They were both annoying. Naruto should probably get sent back more than Sakura, because he's a complete dead weight and would do nothing for the team, but even the thought of being on a team with just Sakura made me want to punch myself in the face.

As long as I wasn't the one sent back, I didn't even give a damn. And I knew I wouldn't be sent back. I had gotten closer than the two of them anyway. I never even saw Sakura attack Kakashi, not once.

I had been trying to wriggle my way out of the earth for the past five minutes, only barely managing to move my fingers, when she walked by. She froze, staring at me in shock for a brief moment, before catching my eyes. I was ready to ask her for help, because damn it, she might as well be useful, but I couldn't get a word in before she started laughing.

_Laughing. _

I glowered at her as she practically collapsed against the tree beside her in a fit of giggles. I rolled my eyes, feeling a niggling sense of mortification that I shoved to the back of my mind with the comfort that I could kick her ass any day of the week, but I couldn't avoid her for long because she kneeled down and leaned over until she was hardly two inches from my face. I felt a growl well up in my throat as she stared at me, but it died when I let my eyes travel to her mouth. Her whole face was lit up into a grin. A teeth flashing, eye crinkling, face flushing grin that really lit up her _entire face_. As much as I hated to admit it to myself, I couldn't remember the last time someone had smiled like this at me, like we shared some sort of private joke, or they were just so inexplicably happy, and it felt nice.

"Stuck?" She teased, and immediately my admiration of her smile died. I glared at her, as threatening as possible when my entire body was underground, and she laughed again, "Okay, Okay, I'll help you. But what do I get out of it?" She flashed another grin at me, and I felt an infuriatingly violent tug in my gut. She dug her fingers into the ground around my neck and started digging me out.

She got one of my arms out after what seemed like hours, and I began ripping away at the dirt around my other arm. I noticed red staining the dirt, and looked to see the hand she was digging with was bleeding. I remembered her bloody fingertips as she dug her fingers into that tree when I confronted her about Naruto, and I wondered if she even noticed she was hurting herself again. I frowned as I stopped digging. She obviously didn't.

It was a stupid quality to have as a ninja. It was this self-sacrificing, self-giving, others before yourself mentality that got you killed. Staring at the blood beginning to pool onto my sleeve, I could picture more blood. And not just from her hand, not just from her form bent over my buried arm as she tried to get me out, but her crumpled form in battle after doing some other stupidly selfless act. I could picture her still body, and the blood, and surprisingly it bothered me. Gipping her wrist before I realized what I was doing, I examined the tips of her fingers, broken and dripping blood over her fingers. I didn't like the sight of her with blood. I decided it didn't fit.

"Use your other hand." I demanded, subtly relishing in the smoothness of her wrist before letting go and going back to digging. She stuttered out an affirmative and began using her other hand to get my arm out. In a stiff silence, we dug out my other arm and I managed to pull my legs out of the earth, feeling it crumble around beneath me as I forced my legs out. I felt her dust off my sleeve and turned to look at her.

"There," She spoke, "Dirty, but at least you're more than a head now." She flashed me a grin, and while I let my gaze linger on her face a bit longer than really necessary, I felt that infuriating tug in my abdomen at the way she looked when she smiled and turned away. I felt disgustingly weak wherever she was concerned. And I decided it pissed me off.

* * *

I don't know why this made me so angry. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I just had to deal with this fucking bell test and I was done with everything. Kakashi completely owned me when I tried to tackle him, which only served to wound my pride further, and then proceeded to call me arrogant and tell Naruto he was too stupid (it's essentially what he said) and Sakura was too apathetic about battle, which was confusing enough with the words Sakura and apathetic in the same sentence. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that we were given another chance and I would have to go through it all again. Or maybe Naruto's_ fucking stomach_ that wouldn't shut up and the way Sakura looked like someone just gave her the moon on a string when his stomach sounded and she bound up to face him.

Or, more likely, it was the way she grinned that _stupid fucking grin_ again and was preparing to give her food, which she had hardly eaten, to this idiot for his own mistake. Because all she ever did was think of everyone else, and the thought of her broken, bleeding body in battle that left me feeling more tortured than I was comfortable with flashed through my head and I wasn't going to linger on the thought more than necessary. So, controlling my anger into resoluteness, I thrust my food between the two. Sakura stopped in her tracks, staring at my food like it had appeared out of nowhere (which maybe, to her, it had. She was too enthralled with helping the dobe to notice anyway) and looked at me.

"It's okay, Sasuke, he can have—"

"No." I don't know why I couldn't stand the thought of her giving her lunch to Naruto. It just pissed me off how she was going to be a fucking ninja and she was giving her own nourishment to this guy who had dug his own grave in the first place. Or why she had given it to him before I could, because I was planning on giving my food to him anyway so that he wouldn't slow us down. She stared at me for a moment, and I leveled her with a stare, daring her to deny me.

"Keep your lunch." I demanded, "Give him mine."

"You didn't eat much." She protested, and I looked down at her lunch. She had eaten less than I had.

"Neither did you." With a long stare, she took the food from my outstretched hand and turned to Naruto again.

"Naruto this is the one and only time I will ever do this, do you understand?" She asked, scooping some food up and holding it out for him. I scoffed quietly at the ecstatic look on his face and turned away. I wasn't about to watch a moment between my teammates, this was bullshit.

The moment Naruto swallowed the first bite, Kakashi showed up. He cast some jutsu and the skies filled with dark clouds and booming thunder, and despite myself, I readied myself for attack by shifting closer to Sakura and Naruto.

"I hope you guys are ready for the punishment," He said, looking more threatening than I ever thought he could.

Naruto began thrashing in his ropes, "No, no, no! Sakura was just helping me! She—"

Considering he was an idiot and there was no way he'd make a good argument, I cut him off, "With Naruto as he was he would've slowed us down," I spoke.

"We're a team." Sakura added, nodding resolutely.

"Yeah, yeah!" Naruto, as loud and obnoxiously as possible, added a proud, "The three of us are one!"

"The three of you are one?" Kakashi boomed, "That's your excuse?" His eyes lingered on each one of us, before continuing, "Well the three of you…" He paused, and then, as if he hadn't been threatening us two seconds before, smiled, "Pass."

I don't know how the hell that worked, but I didn't argue. I relaxed my tense muscles, and as Kakashi appraised us for our teamwork, I realized with a strange sense of satisfaction that none of us were going back to the academy.

I don't know why I was satisfied. I didn't seem like it should matter if two people I hated would be sent back, but the thought of it bothered me more than my mind would allow admitting.

* * *

Upcoming missions were easy. We had to catch that cat that attacked Naruto, for one. Sometimes we helped the elderly or other seemingly useless tasks. The things we did were always more like community service than actual ninja missions. So, I was secretly glad that Naruto spoke up to the Hokage about getting a new mission. But while we were listening to the Hokage talk about the reason for ranking missions, Sakura suddenly turned away. It wasn't even turning away because she was uninterested, because Sakura of all people would never do that, but some other reason. Kakashi eyed her warily, and she passed it off as something she ate. Feeling a bit sick.

Obviously it was a lie. The look on her face wasn't nausea it was as if she was about to walk straight into hell. Naruto turned around then, and upon seeing her, asked her if she was alright. She gave the same response she gave to Kakashi, and I searched her face for any tell of what was wrong. She caught my eye for a very brief moment, before turning and staring at the ground.

I didn't look away until the Hokage told us he would give is a C-rank mission, and in entered our charge, Tazuna.

* * *

I don't worry. I never worry. Avengers don't have time to worry about petty things like teammate problems.

But seriously, Sakura was weird.

Especially the morning before the mission. I had gotten there early because I wanted to get in some training before we left. She showed up not too long after I had, and after a few frozen moments in which I didn't acknowledge her, she spoke, "Sasuke, you're early."

Ignoring the fact that she was pointing out the obvious, I looked over at her and replied, "You too."

She didn't reply, a blush lighting her cheeks. She stood there and stared at me, obviously lost in her own world. I waited for her to snap back in, and just when I was ready to call her name, her eyes focused, and she blanched slightly when she noticed I was watching her.

"I couldn't sleep." Odd, I thought, because Sakura didn't seem like the type to have sleeping problems. But I accepted the excuse and nodded, staring ahead again. I was momentarily surprised when she took the seat beside me, and wondered if it was because she was comfortable around me, or because she thought I offered the seat to her.

"Are you nervous?" She asked, and I scoffed before I could stop myself. Nervous? Of a little C-ranked mission?

"No," I replied, and when she fell silent, I nearly rolled my eyes, "It's a C-rank mission, Sakura."

"I know," She said, sounding defensive, "But…it is our first C-rank and I…" She paused for longer than necessary and I suspected she was hiding something. "I just have a bad feeling."

A bad feeling? What did she think was going to happen? All we had to do was get the drunken bridge builder back home and protect him. That was really all we had to do. But she sounded close to terrified, and I nearly pitied her weakness.

But then, suddenly and without warning, that picture of her broken and bruised and in a pool of her blood that just seemed to get worse and worse every time I pictured it popped into my head. My fists clenched and I tried to forcibly shove the image out of my mind, but when I tried, it only got worse. Because now I didn't just see her lying there dead, I could see her dying. And now I couldn't just see her dying, I could see her being killed.

"I'm being dramatic, aren't I?" she asked, and I clenched my jaw. Her voice was far from a comfort, because all it did was make me think of what her screams would sound like. I thought of her when she was training, tear-streaked face, and her bloodied fingers, and realized with some form of disgust just how weak she was. And then, before I could even analyze my motives, I made a resolution that I would never see her hurt, and I would never hear her screams.

"You'll be safe." I promised, forcing the images of her broken body out of my mind with final success. I wouldn't be helpless against her death, I thought. I likened her to some sort of redemption; I couldn't protect my family from my brother, but I could protect her from this.

I would protect her from whatever it was she was hiding. Whatever it was she was that she feared; it couldn't get to her as long as I was alive.


	3. Matter of Importance

**Wow, okay, so, I know my other story you all were kind of left hanging, but I needed to update this because this poor little guy has been neglected during my work on Past Afflictions. And I really want to catch this story up to the other, and I think you guys want it to catch up too! I will probably update Past Afflictions next, so expect an update from that one. I don't know when, I won't make promises, but hopefully it'll be soon. You guys know how spastic my updates can be :/**

**Thanks to my reviewers! I definitely forgot to list them in the last chapter of Past Afflictions so...sorry. I'll put you all in the next chapter I post. Thanks to Jasmine-.-Momo-chan, Inanimalia Dea, Wealse-chan, BloodyGirl, RockDaBubbles, LoverForAnime, Pilar Ann, Nuria Sato, PSN'sFinestMember, KittyWillCutYou, Jane Odair, plzzz so more, light blossom and dark warrior, Freedom its2l8, Blahtoyousir, Raikiri80, Poop, and Scarlet. You all are awesome and thanks for your feedback about Sasuke's character!**

Our charge was annoying. But then again, most people I met were annoying.

Most situations I was in were annoying.

He was on some drunk rant about teen love or some shit I wasn't listening to, and even Sakura, who had developed some freaky, saint-worthy tolerance of annoying people (like Naruto) was showing her annoyance.

That wasn't the most annoying part of this journey, though.

After watching our Sensei be literally ripped apart in front of us, no one really moved. Even when they came in towards us and Naruto just stood there like an _idiot_. The deer-like look on his face prompted me to action, pinning them to the tree by the chain that connected them. When they were close enough, I kicked them apart, breaking the chain. It was enough to separate them, not enough to knock them down forever.

Next was Sakura.

She stood in front of Tazuna with nothing but a kunai to defend herself, looking like she knew exactly what she was doing. A number of things went through my head at that moment. First of all, she was an idiot if she thought one kunai and a complete lack of physical strength or combat skills whatsoever would protect her. Second, considering Naruto was frozen somewhere behind me like a coward, and our sensei was in pieces, it fell on me to protect her.

The last thought was brief, just as my mind was going through all possible outcomes of this situation, the thought of my failure flashed for a moment.

Just for a moment.

And then I suddenly found myself in front of her, with a kunai, not entirely sure if this was the best way to defend her but figuring the only good thing about these ninja were their element of surprise, which was gone now. It would be easy.

Then our sensei shows up again like he was never_ hacked to pieces in front of our eyes_ and I was officially thrown for a loop.

Kakashi said something about how I did well in the situation, and said something to Sakura that I narrowly avoided scoffing at, then turned to tie the two rogue ninja up. Naruto was still standing to the side like he just saw a ghost. What an idiot.

"Hey," I called, and in the corner of my eye I saw Sakura snap her head in our direction. I swallowed my annoyance and threw a taunting smirk in Naruto's direction, "You're not hurt are you? Scaredy-cat?"

"Sasuke." Her voice was sharp, like she was getting ready to reprimand me, and I turned to glare at her, mentally daring her to tell me how to talk to the idiot who did_ nothing_ to help when those rogues arrived, _nothing_ to help when they were rushing towards her, and her face seemed to falter She looked frightened for a moment, like she hadn't meant to say anything.

"You..." She started, taking a step close, her voice softening considerably, "don't have to protect me you know."

_What? _

I didn't have to protect her? Well, yes, maybe I wouldn't have needed to protect her if our sensei wasn't currently incapacitated and Naruto was doing something to help and she wasn't just standing there with that _fucking_ kunai like she knew what she was doing.

She took my silence as some sign of confusion, and started explaining herself, saying "I just mean, when they were going to attack me—"

"I know," I cut in, finding my voice to be a lot colder than I intended, "what you're talking about."

Then, of course she had to choose this moment to be some sort of sass-queen.

"Is there an apology somewhere in that sentence?"

I couldn't react for a moment other than to look completely floored. She was the one who was expressing concern for this mission. She was the one who acted as if she was staring death in the face at the very thought of this _C-ranked mission_. She was the one who I promised to protect. What did she think would change? That I would see her about to be torn to pieces like our sensei—no. I had made a vow, to her and to myself, that I would protect her.

One moment of bravery on her part didn't change that.

"I promised you." I said, taking a bit of satisfaction in the fact that now it was her turn to look confused. I could see the wheels turning in her head, and waited for the revelation.

She looked away from me suddenly, down at her feet, like she felt guilty, and when she spoke her words were slow. "Sasuke," She said quietly, sounding sad enough to make my chest tighten but not enough for me to question the feeling, "You don't have to take that up as a personal responsibility, if I get hurt by my own fault—"

But I was back during the fight. Thoughts of my failure, my mind replacing the scene of Kakashi with her, and my chest tightened and my stomach did something too but I couldn't make sense of it before I had to force myself back into the conversation.

"No." I said, finding my voice almost frightfully cold, "You won't get hurt."

But she was relentless, "Sasuke, you can't promise that."

I knew I couldn't. I may have promised myself as a child that I would grow up and protect my family, but time wasn't on my side. Before I could even comprehend the thought of them dying, they were gone. What if that happened here? I couldn't protect her when I didn't know what I was protecting her from. But time, fate, it was never on my side. With my luck, she'd be gone before I could find out what to do to save her.

That thought made me fall silent, but I couldn't stop myself from glaring hatefully at her. Because this was all her fault. This fear of losing someone, because for some reason she mattered. For some reason, from the time we graduated to now, she started to matter. Her life was important. And the thought of her death unsettled me, unsettled me like no one else's had for years.

I didn't know why she mattered. I don't know when she started to matter. I just know that since we got put on a team together, it did. It just did, no explanation, and it pissed me off.

"Careful," she warned, effectively snapping my attention, and all of hate and anger, back to her. "You're acting like a teammate."

My glare faltered when she turned away. That was it, wasn't it? She was a teammate. Teammates were supposed to care if the other teammate dies. And Sakura had always been weak, so her death was so much more probable than Kakashi's, even Naruto's. So, of course she mattered, it was natural when we were teammates that she would. Then, when I could leave, when our team wasn't really a team anymore, I could cut her loose. She wouldn't matter then.

_No,_ I thought resolutely, _she wouldn't matter then._

* * *

It was easy to banish her from my mind when Zabuza showed himself. I'll admit there was a brief moment of fear when Kakashi was locked in that water cage that I would have to protect Sakura again, but Naruto was in this battle, and even if he did have a tendency to be an idiot, he was a calming force in the face of everything.

Which was confusing in and of itself, because Naruto could never be a calming force.

But we had a full-proof plan. And when we were putting it into action, I wasn't focused on her anymore. Looking back on it, it was a pleasant change. I didn't realize how much I had been thinking of her lately, and it served my anger when, inevitably, she called my attention again.

Kakashi shouted her name, as if he was worried, as if she was in trouble, just after I threw Naruto—disguised as the shiruken. Their movement was a blur when I looked over, but I distinctively saw Zabuza throw his sword out in a large ark, and Tazuna jumping back to narrowly avoid being hit.

It ended before I could think to react, and the clone had dissolved. I watched her then, watched her as she picked herself up and dutifully made her way back towards Tazuna. Kakashi and Zabuza engaged in battle, and I found myself making my way towards Sakura.

There was a strange feeling that settled in my chest. It wasn't fear, it couldn't be, because she wasn't hurt. At least, it didn't seem like she was. It could've been guilt, the fact that she had been attacked was enough to break the promise I made. It's possible that it could've been annoyance, annoyance at her inability to go a few seconds without being attacked by someone, but I knew the feeling of annoyance. It didn't feel like this.

I didn't particularly like the feeling of this. Whatever it was.

I crouched beside her near Tazuna, but I turned my head to watch the fight a nanosecond before she turned to look at me. When Kakashi's jutsu began, the water rushed around us like a hurricane, and Sakrua quickly stood, pulling Tazuna to his feet and holding onto his arm. I found myself standing with her, placing my arm around the back of her without touching, as if I could catch her if she blew away. It was a ridiculous notion, both because she wouldn't blow away in this, no matter how slight she looked, and because if she did I was stupid to believe she would be terribly hurt when Kakashi was controlling this. Nonetheless, I kept my arm there until the wind and water stopped.

When it was over, she turned to meet my eyes. There was a thin cut on her cheek, blood collecting on the surface of the cut in order to clot the wound, forming a bright red line on her otherwise unblemished skin. Looking down, I felt something tighten in my chest, something I recognized as anger, when I saw the vibrant bruises on her neck. As if someone had strangled her.

She turned then, and I didn't get to see the expression on her face before she had walked away and toward where Kakashi and Zabuza would be. Some boy had come to collect Zabuza, and as far as I could see, he had killed him. In one shot.

It distracted me for a moment that this boy was no older than me and managed to bring Zabuza down in one hit. The anger was enough to cloud my thoughts and banish Sakura from the forefront. It brought thoughts to mind I liked to keep tucked away, and I subconsciously clenched my fists at my sides.

Then I heard her laugh.

It startled me, how clean and pure it sounded in the midst of all my darkened thoughts, and I found myself watching her again as she spoke to Kakashi. "He did throttle me. I think that counts enough to say he hit me once." She said.

"Twice." I spoke, something I meant to keep in my head as a silent correction, but it escaped my mind through my mouth. She froze, seeming to choke slightly on her words, but even in her near spastic reaction to my correction, she appeared confused. I gripped her jaw, gently despite myself, and turned her to look at me. I collected the blood on the pad of my thumb, bringing it up for her viewing. She raised her hand after I let go, feeling her cheek herself.

It actually annoyed me how she seemed to understand everything I wasn't saying. It made me feel naked, exposed, and I had never felt like that. But she gave me some sort of comforting look, and told me "It doesn't count." as if she knew exactly all the thoughts that were running through my head. Which I knew she couldn't, because she wouldn't be nearly as calm around me if she knew I pictured her death daily, even if she knew it was against my own will that I thought about it.

I didn't notice that Kakashi fell until Sakura snapped her head to the side and rushed toward him. Even then, it took me a moment to realize she had left. And a moment longer to return to her side and help her carry him.

* * *

All of us immediately went to our respective rooms and fell asleep. Except for me, of course. I was tired, exhausted even, but I couldn't sleep yet. My mind wouldn't rest.

It was one of those nights where my mind kept taking me back to places I never wanted to be in the first place. They weren't nightmares, exactly, because I wasn't quite asleep. But it was a moment where my mind seemed to take over, and before I knew it I was thinking of things I shouldn't.

This time it wasn't Sakura, but I wasn't thankful for the distraction from her. In fact, I longed for her distraction. Anything to erase the image of those two bodies, seemingly curled around each other on that floor, covered in blood, and the red-eyed figure over them.

I took a deep breath, focusing outside my window. There. A small rabbit hopped across the road, and I focused on it. The way it's fur reflected the moonlight, the way it's hind legs shot out behind it with each hop, but soon my mind was making things up. And it wasn't a rabbit anymore, it was me. And it wasn't a calm, moonlit road anymore, it was a dark, empty, street outside my house. And it wasn't only me, that figure, the very same that stood there over those two bodies that—

No. Inside. Something inside. The bed, the way the sheets crumpled at the foot of it and tumbled onto the floor. I counted the floor boards. I watched the ceiling, tried to imagine the sky above it. But everything brought me back to that night.

Then I heard screaming, so terrifyingly real it made me jump. I clenched my eyes and willed it to go away, but it didn't. I had never heard screams before when this happened. It was only the images, and the silence is what I thought made it worse. But now that I heard the screaming, I wished for the silence again. I prayed for it.

Then, my subconscious put a face to the screams, but it wasn't my parents or neighbors or anyone from that night. It was Sakura again. I couldn't make sense of what was happening to her before I heard a door somewhere outside my room slam open and I realized the screaming was just as real as the slamming of that door.

It stopped before I made it to her room, but as I slammed the door of her room back open, she was crumpled on the floor by her bed, staring at Naruto with wide, terrified eyes. He offered some sort of consolation, but she didn't reply. Her breath came shallow, wheezy, and her whole chest and shoulders heaved with the effort. She stared out the window, her body practically convulsing with each breath, looking as if she was going to pass out.

"She's having a panic attack," I realized. I remembered when I was young, I was with my brother and a young girl was having something of the same effect. He had knelt beside her, while her mother frittered around the girl without a clue what to do, he had laid two calming hands on the girl, breathing soft commands to the girl to calm down and breathe. I had naively thought my brother to be the most amazing man at that moment.

I banished the thought of him from my mind. Naruto sat at the bed, staring at me like I was supposed to know what to do. I made my way to her side, not exactly knowing what I should do as I knelt there. I laid a hand hesitantly on her arm, feeling a bit more confidence when she didn't jerk away. My other hand made its way to her back, moving in soothing circles. I felt the muscles of her back constrict and then relax under my hand, and it brought more satisfaction then it should've to know I was able to calm her.

"Breathe." I commanded silently, and her eyes snapped to mine, as if just realizing I was there. She tensed again, but her breathing only caught for a moment before evening out again.

"Okay," She wheezed, "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm sorry. I'm fine, I just...Nightmare." It was so silent even I felt slightly uncomfortable. Probably because there was so much left unsaid in her confession, and I realized I had already removed my hands from her back and shoulder. I sat there beside her, Naruto on her bed from where he had no doubt tried to wake her, and there were no words.

"Sakura-Chan..." Naruto spoke softly, uncharacteristically soft for his personality, and she said something about a nightmare that I didn't completely buy.

There was another long silence, and she seemed to have calmed considerably. I eyed Naruto as he watched her, and eventually he caught my eye. There were no words, but I was surprised by how well he received the look I was giving him. He nodded quietly, opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short when I sent him a glare. He glared back, standing from the bed and taking slow, hesitant steps toward the door. He cast Sakura one last look before finally leaving the room.

"Sakura." I spoke finally, watching her as she jumped in surprise and her eyes flickered up to me.

"I'm fine." She spoke, and I watched her suspiciously. She tried to claim being 'fine' again, but she stopped short. "I'm not fine."

Her whole body relaxed then, as if she was letting some sort of weight off her shoulders. I didn't know if she was about to let out all her feelings to me or something, but I wasn't good with comfort, so I found myself tensing, as if preparing for what she might say.

I caught the end of her sentence, "...It just seemed really real, and—" I found myself interrupting.

"What did?" I asked, not realizing I had leaned in slightly to hear her voice. She spoke softly, quietly, and I decided if it were different circumstances, I would quite like this voice.

"I..." She sputtered, "Well, you..." I leaned in again, as her voice got even softer, and I had to stop myself from flying back when she admitted it, "You died."

I found some sick sort of satisfaction in the fact that she was screaming at the thought of my death. Not necessarily because she was screaming, but because it meant I wasn't the only one effected here. I remembered her time at the academy, when she fell all over me constantly, but she seemed different now. I had been starting to think she had lost all care for me, and I found it strangely comforting that she still thought of me.

"I mean," she spoke, her volume raising slightly, "Everyone. You, Naruto, Kakashi, and I was alone, and..." I couldn't stop the frown that came when she stopped talking. "I think just...the whole Zabuza thing...got me uptight."

I didn't believe her. She was awful at lying, but the way her eyes teared up when she said the lie stopped me from pushing for some reason.

"He was there?" I don't know why I played along. I think I meant it in a different way. I was hoping she would make sense, tell me the truth, tell me something so I could help. I hadn't wanted to help anyone in a long time, and at the moment I wasn't concerned with the why. I just wanted to know she was safe.

And if she wasn't, I wanted to know I could save her.

"More or less." She admitted, and after a short pause, she added, "But he was a woman."

I couldn't hide my surprise when she said that, and I didn't want to admit that I reveled in the sound of her laugh. "Don't ask." She said, a very small smile gracing her lips. It was silent for another moment, before she said, "We should both get some sleep. I promise I won't wake you two up with my screaming again." She gave some sort of strained smile after that, and I found myself wanting to stay. I didn't want to leave her here. I didn't want to leave her in danger. I wanted her to tell me who this woman was. I wanted her to let me protect her. I wanted to keep her safe. I wanted to find this woman who terrified her so much and rip her to shreds. But the way she sat there, staring at me with wide, tearful eyes that did more to me than any begging ever could, I found myself standing.

And without another word, I left her room, shut the door behind me, locked myself in my own room, and sat down on the edge of my bed. I never actively got ready for sleep, but I awoke the next morning sprawled across the edge of my bed with half of my body hanging off, and the first thing I thought about was Sakura. And for the rest of the morning, I repeated a mantra of sorts in my head.

She doesn't matter.

She doesn't matter.

She doesn't matter.

But that didn't change the burning in my chest of the clenching of my jaw whenever I thought of whoever it was that terrified her.


	4. Anger, Angst, and Frustrations

**Um...hey guys! So...it's been a while. A very long time. I know. Okay, honestly I was avoiding this chapter because it had a fight in it and I hate writing fight scenes, I really do, but this one was kind of important, and I'm working through writers block, and this whole thing was just a disaster, so I'm sorry! **

**But...after all these months...I hope this is acceptable. I'm working on an update for Past Afflictions as well!**

The next morning was hell.

I didn't sleep at all that night. I would fall into a sort of half-conscious state, then I would hear screaming again. _Her _screaming. And when I'd wake it would take me a good five minutes to decipher whether or not it was real, and another fifteen minutes to fall back asleep. Then the cycle would repeat.

So that morning it was a little more than difficult to hide my fatigue.

We had training with Kakashi later that day, even though he was still on crutches and could hardly walk let alone do anything extraneous. Sakura was the first one to master the technique of the day, walking up trees. She just sat up there laughing like nothing had happened last night. Like she hadn't been screaming for her life last night. Like her screams hadn't kept me up all night.

It pissed me off that she could be so carefree when she was so obviously hiding something. Before I could show that she affected me in any way, I actively turned my body away from her, focusing on the task ahead.

But tree climbing was a bitch.

Of course Sakura, who can't do a damn thing otherwise, manages to climb the tree in two seconds while Naruto and I can't get up even after hours of trying. She sat against some tree behind us, and it's not like I could ignore her when she's right there, and Naruto kept looking over there with those love-sickening puppy eyes like he wanted to jump her or something and that just put me on edge.

Loser couldn't get anyone, let alone Sakura.

And it was with that thought I went crashing to the forest floor yet again.

_Let alone Sakura_? Since when is Sakura separated from any other girl on the planet?

Eventually she left, but not until her and Naruto spent a few moments canoodling somewhere behind me. They were really pissing me off. Last I checked Naruto was obsessed with her and she couldn't stand him, and now they were best friends?

It wasn't until Naruto began succeeding past me in climbing the tree that I realized he had asked her for advice. I wasn't going to ask him, I really wasn't...but if her advice really helped him that much then obviously I would have to ask him. I couldn't let him beat me, after all.

"Hey, Dobe," I called as he was halfway up the tree. He tripped up and nearly fell on his face and turned to glare at me.

"What, bastard?" He stood and dusted himself off, looking at both our marks. He was obviously comparing them, and then the smug bastard grinned to himself and turned back to me.

"What did Sakura tell you?"

Silence.

Then laughter.

"Like I'm going to tell you!" He bellowed, doubling over with laughter. I gritted my teeth. "For once I'm beating you, and you think I'm going to give you a leg up?"

I glared, searching for what to say. "What would Sakura say if she knew you withheld this information from me?"

I thought that would stop him, considering how desperately he tries to impress her. But he only continued laughing.

"Jokes on you!" He replied, "Because she specifically told me_ not_ to tell you!"

I can't exactly explain where the anger stemmed from. Maybe the simple fact that my team was ganging up against me and it pissed me off. But that didn't seem to completely explain it. All I know is I was angry. Angry enough to pick Naruto up by the collar and slam him against the tree.

"Tell me what you know, or I tell Sakura you have pictures of her all over your room."

He choked a bit, "But I don't!"

"But she'll believe me." He stared at me in shock for a good thirty seconds, before finally huffing angrily, his face beat red.

"Fine!" He agreed, "Just put me down." I obliged, smirking triumphantly. "And don't tell Sakura that...she'll think I'm creepy..."

There was a reason I called him idiot and he called me bastard.

* * *

When we finally, finally decided to give up for the night, I almost collapsed from exhaustion. At least the dobe hadn't gotten it before me. Granted, I hadn't gotten it before him either, but whatever. I hadn't lost.

So of course that night I was starving. And then Naruto looks at me like its some sort of competition, and how the hell am I supposed to refuse? So he can boast about how much better he is than me because he can eat more? Hell no.

I didn't really account for the puking part, though.

Then, of course, Sakura starts nagging us and takes Naruto's food away. Guess that means I won.

I could have done without the flirting that happened on the way back to her seat, however. She actually ruffled his hair. I thought she was still afraid to touch him.

Then, as if that wasn't enough annoyance for the evening, Naruto made some speech about making Inari believe in heroes and practically dragged himself out the door. And Sakura smiled, like she was proud of him, like he was cool. I threw up in my mouth a little.

* * *

The next morning was worse. I was going on a walk. I really was going on a walk, I just figured if on my walk I came across Naruto, I'd drag him back home.

Or, not home, base. Whatever.

But I wasn't exclusively looking for Naruto. And then Sakura tags along, actually she drags me along, on her quest for her boy toy. Like I want to see their fucking reunion.

What was it with them, anyway? Back at the academy everything was simpler. Sakura loved me and hated Naruto.

Actually scratch that, the loving me part was annoying as hell. But not as annoying as treating me like we're best friends or like she actually knows me and then treating Naruto like he's a fucking gift from above. If anything, I was the gift from above.

Damn it, I was acting like a child and I knew it. It just pissed me off that the minute she become a bearable person, she falls for Naruto, the moment I actually wouldn't mind her loving me.

Actually, I would mind, but not as much.

And Naruto just eats it up.

Speaking of the unbearable muskrat, he was lying out in the middle of the forest, and looked as if he just woke up. He was probably training all night. I sighed. For someone so annoying he was at least dedicated.

"Hey, dobe, you miss breakfast?" I addressed him, knocking him in the head. Apparently Sakura just noticed his presence, because she gave a shriek of his name and practically tackled him to the ground.

And no I'm not exaggerating, she was straddling him. It was sickening. She then went off into a nagging spree, and I rolled my eyes, refusing to go closer to the pair.

"Sakura, he's alive." I said, trying to persuade her off of Naruto. It bugged me more than it probably should. Yeah, it was disgusting, their blatant acts of physical affection, but it was more than that. I didn't want to admit it, but it almost felt like betrayal. All those years of liking me (not that I enjoyed those years even a little bit) and then finally respecting me and now she goes for Naruto?

"Aw, Sasuke, you're just jealous she's not on top of you!"

God fucking damn it.

Her reaction surprised me, but not enough to stop me. After she so violently punched him in the face, I picked her up by her waist (she was so small, she didn't act small) and placed her behind me, away from the idiot on the ground. He clutched his nose in pain.

I thought they were a thing?

But judging by the pain he's in right now, I guess not.

I will never admit to the amount of gratification I felt at that moment.

* * *

Sakura was on edge all morning. She tried to pretend she was fine, but it was obvious. She was terrified of something. She acted along the same lines she had been acting before we departed for our mission. Almost like she knew this would happen.

We should all start trusting her when she has a "feeling"about something.

On the bridge, when we thought we were safe, Zabuza struck.

Sakura looked terrified, and honestly, it was kind of annoying. I felt bad for her, because I guess I get it, it's her first real fight, but she needed to pull herself together.

Then again, she was together. She just had this wild look in her eyes, like she was staring death in the face.

On my end, there was no fear. No, none at all. Adrenaline hummed through my veins, and I found myself trembling for a very different reason. I was excited. Even surrounded by those Zabuzas, I could tell which ones were fake. I could see. And it was exhilarating.

Then of course his sidekick came up. And I thought it would be a breeze, he hardly looked threatening. And when the fight began, he was fast. Oh, yes, he was fast. But I was faster. I egged him on the whole time. I was over confident. But as he named his secret jutsu, I heard Sakura's cry, somewhere behind me.

"Sasuke, get out!"

I won't say that her cry caused me to be trapped, because I wouldn't have moved either way. But it did make me freeze. The way she said it was terrifying, to me. Maybe not to anyone else, to any one else it just sounded desperate, but to me it sounded painful.

And then I was trapped, in these ice mirrors, and at first I thought it couldn't be as bad as Sakura felt it was. But, her feelings had been correct thus far. He stepped into one of the mirrors, and he was reflected across every surface. I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do.

Then everything came raining down.

Literally.

A barrage of weapons, senbon, came one after the other. It was all I could do to crouch down and try and shield myself with my arms. It hurt like hell, damn it, it _was_ hell, and I was sitting there, defenseless, because I had underestimated his capabilities.

It stopped for a moment, and I hurt all over. I looked up to see Haku everywhere, looking down on me. I think he was mocking me.

And then Sakura came.

I wanted to yell at her to get the hell away, especially when Haku reached out and grabbed her ankle. She gripped on of the mirrors to keep from falling, and for a moment I was actually terrified he might throw her in. I was scared stiff, actually frozen with fear that she'd be stuck in here with me.

I was startled by my own ferocity at the thought. I couldn't remember a time when I felt so protective over someone.

Slicing through my thoughts, a shiruken came flying out of nowhere, causing Haku to fall out of the mirror and let Sakura go. At first, I thought it may have been from Kakashi, but then, through the space between the mirrors, I saw a huge cloud of smoke. _Naruto,_ I thought. _Of course he has to make an entrance. _

Casting a glance in Sakura's direction, I saw she was back with Tazuna. I didn't listen to Naruto's words when he finally made his entrance, it was unimportant. More important was my plan. _If he attacks from the outside, and I from the inside, I might have a chance. _

But I didn't want his help. I wanted to do this on my own. I didn't need the help of that loser. I was a god damn avenger, if I couldn't fight this guy, what could I do?

So, in his distraction with Naruto (apparently they knew each other?) I threw a kunai.

Of course he fucking dodged it, I should have seen that one coming.

Another barrage. I tried not to make even a noise of pain, but I did.

Kakashi spoke, from somewhere outside the ice mirrors, "Think!" He scolded, "you have to attack from the outside and the inside!"

_I know_, I thought. There wasn't another way. I'd need the help of that dobe—

"Hey, Sasuke, psst." I froze, "I snuck in here to save you."

"You _fucking_ idiot!" I bellowed, "You're a shinobi, you need to think carefully before you act!"

"Hey, you should be thanking me, I'm helping you out!"

"You're useless!" I rebutted, "I've had it with your mistakes!"

"And I've had it with your attitude!"

I growled to myself, trying to think on my feet. "Fine," I spoke, I'll do this myself!"

"What are you doing?" Naruto cried. I ignored him, instead making the proper hand signs and casting my jutsu. Fire melts ice, right? "Fireball jutsu!"

But it failed. And I sat there and I actually felt afraid. For myself. Because I was so sure at the beginning of this match that I was strong enough, and now I was stuck in here with this dobe until Kakashi could beat Zabuza. If that even happened.

And I was scared.

Naruto said something stupid, I wasn't exactly listening, and tried his clone jutsu. "No, Naruto!"

Too late. They all began bursting into clouds of smoke, one by one, and all I heard was Naruto's screaming. We were losing. It sucked.

"These mirrors only reflect my image," Haku spoke, "Allowing me to transport myself at light speed. Through my eyes, you appear to be moving in slow motion."

"I knew it!" Kakashi's voice carried to us from outside the jutsu. "It's a blood trait! Kekkei Genkai."

Of course, I thought, blood trait. That much harder to work around. I searched my brain for any solution, for any way out, but everything seemed wrong. I wondered, was I going to die in here?

"I couldn't get out," Naruto spoke, breaking my frenzied thoughts, "So what? He's not gonna stop me. I'm not giving up, and I'm not going to lose here. 'Cause I have a dream, and _no one's_ going to take it away from me. Someday I'll be respected in my village. That's my dream; to be the greatest Hokage!"

In that moment, I actually respected the dobe. Sure, he was stupid and annoying as hell, but he was strong, and determined. And, in a way, we were similar. Very similar. He had a dream he was dead set on achieving. I wouldn't call what I had a dream, but...I understood. And I respected him for it.

"It was not my desire to be a shinobi," Haku replied, sounding gentle somehow, "It's painful. I don't want to kill you. But if you advance I will have no choice. Then I will kill the kindness in my own heart, and fully embrace the shinobi way." I was frozen in place, watching the masked boy speak. I knew what this meant. It meant we were dead unless by some miracle we were saved. And I didn't believe in miracles. "And there will be no mercy, no turning back. This bridge will be the battleground where our dreams collide. Now I must fight for my dream just as you fight for yours." He paused, "Please do not blame me. I fight for someone who is precious to me. I live for him.. And I face death for him, so that his dream may become reality. That is my dream. And for the sake of that dream, if I must, I will act as a shinobi, and take your lives."

I wasn't giving up. Nothing like that. I just was thinking logically. Maybe we'd get him, maybe we'd find a strategy, and I'd sure as hell try, because I had a lot to do before I died. But it was unlikely. I wouldn't deny that.

But we tried. We tried, over and over and over again. I could track his speed, but I couldn't match it. I could see him, just a blur, rush by as he killed Naruto's numerous clones. And Naruto kept going. And I just watched, unable to do anything but watch Haku's shadow, and I couldn't catch him unless—

I had an idea.

I watched Haku move, watched his pattern as he destroyed all the shadow clones. I waited, waited, just a little more—and there!

Quickly doing the hand signs, I used fireball jutsu again. And missed.

But I was_ so_ close, I waited another half second, and tried again. I skimmed his pant leg. It was progress.

Naruto fell back to my side, and I glanced at him. "I didn't get him," He said.

"Naruto, could you do that again?"

He gave me an affirmative, but I could tell he was exhausted. There was no way he'd last again. Another way, surely there was another way...

"Naruto, just make a run for it!" I said, and he stared at me or a moment, unsure. "Just go!"

He obeyed, running toward the edge. He was shot back, but tried again, and I saw Haku move, I could see him going towards Naruto. I almost hit him. We tried again, we both ran this time, but it failed once more.

By this time, Haku was annoyed. I heard commotion from outside the ice mirrors. Clashing of metal, mostly. That told me the fight was still going on. I wondered how Sakura was. Without me even consciously thinking about it, the image, _that_ image of her dead, popped into my head again.

It haunted me, I swear.

She couldn't be dead though. Kakashi wouldn't allow it. Never. He'd protect her.

At least he'd try.

Naruto was relentless, and I actually admired his determination. I didn't know what to do, sitting there and watching him try to break out. He ran towards one edge, before flipping around. But Haku followed him. I tried to warn him he was behind him, but it was too late. Naruto was struck, and he was sent back toward me.

"Naruto, can you move?" He tried, but he couldn't, it seemed. I sighed, angrily, frustratedly "Try not to use any more chakra."

This was it, wasn't it? When Naruto couldn't go any longer, that was it. But it couldn't be, I thought. I couldn't let us die here. We had to get out.

My eyes had become adjusted to his movements, I'm sure I could protect us if Naruto could just get up.

"Looking for a counterattack?" Haku spoke, appearing in front of me. I picked a senbon up off the ground. I focused on the weapons, their direction, and, to my own surprise, managed to block the ones heading for me.

"Naruto, you have to get up, we have to work together." I urged him, clutching the senbon in my hand and keeping my eyes on Haku. He seemed surprised by my agility in blocking his weapons. That was good, surprising him was good. It was something.

Naruto managed to get to his feet, but he couldn't move much beyond that. I had to knock him to the side to protect him from an onslaught of weaponry. Then he wouldn't get back up.

"You can't revive him." Haku spoke, "He's reached his limits." I glanced down at my fallen teammate, and back up at Haku. I stupidly tried to throw the senbon at him, but of course it didn't hit. He appeared in a mirror behind me, laughing. "You're fast. But you've reached your limits as well." He threw more senbon, and without anything to deflect it I just had to dodge. He began appearing and disappearing around me, circling me like I was his prey. And I probably was. "You're abilities are weakening slowly but surely. And now," There was a long pause.

Stay calm. Focus. Concentrate. See everything.

"You're finished."

Suddenly, everything was clearer. It's like everything just slowed down, and I knew what was coming. Filled with a sudden rush of adrenaline, I watched as he reared his arm back and the needles in my direction. I picked up Naruto's limp body, and jumped out of the way.

"Impossible," Haku breathed. I held myself back from smirking. "You're...you're..."

I was cocky, at the moment. I had unlocked it. It was incomplete, but it was_ there_.

_So this is was it feels like, _I had thought, _The Sharingan_. I was so sure I'd made it, that I could save us, that we were fine.

But Haku was more clever than I gave him credit for.

Because instead of coming towards me, he rushed to the side. Bewildered, I followed his movements, and saw him headed straight toward Naruto.

I didn't think. I didn't think at all. My legs began moving, propelling me toward Naruto without my conscious command. All I knew was I needed to protect him. He was my teammate, my rival. And maybe he was my friend. It would make sense, given how desperately I ran to protect him, that I considered him a friend.

My thoughts stopped as I felt the cool metal of Haku's needles wedge themselves into me, and I stood, immobile in front of Naruto's body.

I turned to face him, barely able to move. He looked so scared, and so guilty. And I hated it. I wanted him to stop looking at me like he killed me, like I did this for him. It was instinct, he was my teammate, and maybe my friend. It was stupid. But he was my friend.

"You should see the look on y our face,"I grunted out, finding it hard to speak, "You look like..." Pain, so much pain, "such a dumb ass."

He sat up, and I was grateful to see that he could at least move more than me. "Why...why did you..." His eyes widened, "Save me. Why did you save me?"

Because you're my teammate. Because you're my rival. Because Sakura would kill me if I let you die. Because I wouldn't forgive myself if I let you die. Because you're annoying as hell but you keep life interesting. Because you're my friend.

"I don't know,"I admitted, "I just did." I paused for a moment. Because I didn't know. I didn't know why he was my friend, and why I would care if he died. He just was. And I just did. "You..." I mumbled, "I hated you."

"Then why?"He cried, pulling himself to his feet, "It doesn't make any sense, Why did you..." He sputtered, "Protect me?"

I was silent.

"I didn't ask for this!" He yelled, "I didn't ask for you to save me!"

"I didn't think," I said, "My body just..." I grunted, "Moved on it's," I began to lose my balance,"Own..." I fell backwards, expecting the cold unforgiving concrete, but he caught me.

"Sasuke!"

I was dying. This was it. I guess part of my knew it was going to happen. And now it was. I was dying, wasting away in the arms of my 'friend' and I couldn't stop it. We couldn't get out. I felt cold. I felt angry. But most of all, I just felt pain.

"He's still out there," I spoke, looking up at Naruto, "My brother. I promised myself I'd stay alive...until I" My throat was sore, and dry, and my body hurt, and I was so pissed off thinking about everything I'd been working for going to waste. "Until I killed him."

Naruto said nothing. He stared down at me like I was some martyr, but I wasn't a martyr. If I had time to think before it happened, I might not have done it. I would think about how my brother is still walking this earth, and I would know I can't die. Not here, not now.

But I had done it, and I was dying. And maybe Naruto would too.

"Naruto, don't..." I didn't know what to say. Don't die? That's what I was thinking. Sakura would kill me if he died. It I wasn't already dead. But Naruto had a dream, like me. We were similar in that way. We were both determined to reach it. One of us should. "Don't let your dream die."

The world was fading, and I felt scared. Mostly angry, but a bit scared. And I felt regret, because I hadn't done what I'd worked for. But, more than that. I hated Naruto. And I hated Sakura. And to an extent I hated Kakashi. And everyone else around me. And part of me wished I hadn't.

I always thought I'd die alone one day. And by some miracle I wasn't. But I wished I was. It was worse to see that I wasn't alone when I couldn't enjoy the company.

My mind began to give in.

Everything was darkness.


End file.
